Argyle Nation

Back in college my friend Adam spent an entire year wearing only brand new socks. As I remember the story, he and a buddy were talking one day about what sort of over-the-top, decadent things they’d do if they became obscenely wealthy. Adam made the comment that he loved the way new socks felt on his feet; if he hit it big, he’d wear a new pair every day.

After some thought, he did the math on what it’d cost to get enough new socks to make it through a whole year (surprisingly cheap), then went out and made the purchase.

I was reminded of this story the other day while talking with a friend about goals. A lot of people have very vaguely defined aspirations, like “I want to be really successful,” but don’t elaborate—to others or to themselves—about what that “success” actually means. Having very clear goals gives you a roadmap for what you’re looking to achieve.

What I’ve always loved about Adam’s sock story is that it’s a good lesson in questioning preconceived notions of “how things are supposed to work.” Initially, the thought process was, “If I ever went from who I am right now to being a straight up baller, then I’d do extravagant, enjoyable and fun things like wear new socks every day.” That became, “Um…do I really have to wait? What’s stopping me from finding a way to live like that now?” Thus, you are suddenly a straight up baller by virtue of those actions.

With that sort of mindset in place, it’s easy to see that the barriers stopping you from doing what you’d like in life might not even be there.

Yes, this may be a pretty light-hearted example, but the lesson to be taken from it is as serious as it gets.

P.S. If I remember correctly, all those worn-once socks were washed and resold on the cheap to fellow college students. Everybody won in this experiment.